A unique yet user-friendly 5-string OPB type guitar. BLACK SMOKER is a handmade brand from BLACK CLOUD, a workshop in Nagano Prefecture, a mecca for musical instrument manufacturing where many brands are located. This brand, which is gaining attention among many professional musicians for its high sense and high quality in sound, playability, and looks, is a noteworthy brand created by three people: Mr. Kuroiwa, the representative who has been involved in the design and manufacture of many manufacturers and models; Mr. Yanagisawa, a young builder who creates with him; and Mr. Itasaka, a builder who has honed his skills at a long-established Japanese brand. This instrument is a traditional 5-string OPB-style bass, crafted with an ash body, maple neck and fingerboard, and original pickups. Similar to the 5-string JB-style model that propelled the brand to mainstream success, this instrument also features a 48mm nut width, a gently curving 305R fingerboard, and a comfortable, moderately thick C-shaped grip. This design allows you to directly experience the dynamics and linear response characteristic of passive basses, while also providing a smooth playing feel. The custom-made pickups deliver a thick, fat tone with an open, slightly aggressive sound, creating a powerful sound image while maintaining clear pitch accuracy. The rich harmonics and supple, open sound that are the hallmarks of a simple passive bass are remarkably evident in this brand's basses. From the moment you pick one up, you'll experience a bouncy, familiar sound and smooth projection. While based on the familiar sound of traditional materials, this approach to playability, along with the clear response and sharp intonation in the sound, gives the impression that the bass has been refined from a player's perspective, which is why this brand's basses have garnered enthusiastic support from professional bassists. Adopting the early 1950s OPB style with no body contour whatsoever, this bass is based on a model with many fans, but has been crafted as a 5-string bass. This instrument retains the open sound characteristic of a 4-string bass, and the sound that makes it seem as if the low B string exists as an extension of that sound. The well-balanced sound from the G string to the B string is also firmly inherited, which is the secret to the brand's popularity. There is actually a considerable demand for 5-string basses that offer a tone and texture that allows you to immerse yourself in playing without feeling any difference from a 4-string bass, and this is what is making it a hot topic among professional musicians and band bassists alike. This instrument is also a piece that allows you to fully enjoy the strong points of this brand.SPEC. Model: TM BETA OP5 Body Wood: Ash Neck Wood: Maple Fingerboard Wood: Maple Neck Shape: C Shape Scale/# of frets: 864mm scale/20F Nut/Width: Bone/48mm Frets: Jescar 47104 NS(Medium Jumbo) Radius: 305R HW Color: Chrome & Nickel Machineheads: GOTOH GB528 Bridge: GOTOH 205B-5-BC Pickguard: 1-Ply Parchment Pickups: BLACK SMORKER Electronics: 1 Volume, 1 Tone Neck Finish: Lacquer Body Finish: Lacquer Color: 2 Tone Sunburst - Light Aged Strings: D'Addario EXL165/XLB125 .045-.125 Gig bag included